Radio Spectrum Management
Dr. Chris Doyle
Centre for Management Under Regulation
WEST AFRICA TELECOMMUNICATIONS
REGULATORS ASSEMBLY SUB-REGIONAL
REGULATORY GUIDELINES VALIDATION WORKSHOP
6 September 2005, Accra, Ghana
chris.doyle@wbs.ac.uk
Common policy
Establish a common radio spectrum
management framework
Coordination permits the development of an
effective economic management regime of
spectrum
Complements the objective of promoting
liberalized ICT markets
2
1
Common policy towards monitoring
Establish a common methodology for
documenting and monitoring spectrum
Countries to share the costs of developing a
software tool for monitoring
Forum be established within WATRA to
Exchange information and experiences to foster
harmonization of spectrum management rules
Prepare common positions for presentations to
regional and global instances
Pool existing expertise
3
Striking the right balance
The countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region
should seek to achieve the right balance
between regulatory oversight, designed to
minimize harmful interference, and a hands-off
approach that would stimulate innovation and
foster the development of the ICT sector
4
2
Radio spectrum policy objectives
Embrace economic and technical efficiency
Consistent with wider public policy
Promote flexibility while respecting the ITU
international allocations
5
Register and frequency tables
Establish a common framework for developing a
public register of technical and locational
information about radio systems
In the near future populate a common template
for a national frequency table in each country
6
3
Independent regulation
The countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region
should vest radio spectrum management powers
in the new independent NRAs overseeing
telecommunications
Ideally NRAs should have remits to embrace
electronic communications broadly defined to
enable technological neutrality
7
Independent regulation
The countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region
should vest radio spectrum management powers
in the new independent NRAs overseeing
telecommunications
Ideally NRAs should have remits to embrace
electronic communications broadly defined to
enable technological neutrality
8
4
Coordinating policy across uses
Countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region
should merge separate regulatory authorities
dealing with spectrum use in broadcasting and
telecommunications
This will facilitate more effective coordination
and realise efficiencies that will help promote
and sustain economic development
9
Military-Civilian use
Where military requirements for a particular
frequency band are negligible or zero, then such
spectrum could be permanently reallocated to
civil uses
Where the military authorities have no current or
medium term use of particular bands, but a
possible future requirement, spectrum should be
returned to the state for civil licensing in the
interim period
Consider possibility of allowing shared use
10
5
Inter-departmental committee
Countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region that
manage radio spectrum according to the multijurisdictional model should establish an interdepartmental committee to facilitate more
effective coordination of spectrum
Committees should operate transparently and
be accountable
11
User incentives and spectrum charges
All classes of users should face incentives to
economize on the spectrum they occupy
For the majority of frequency bands, where
demand exceeds supply, this will entail paying a
positive price to obtain access to spectrum
Where demand does not exceed supply, the
price may be set equal to the costs associated
with its administration or to a value consistent
with government policy
12
6
Minimise licensing restrictions
Spectrum agencies in the ECOWAS region
should aim to minimize the licence conditions to
those necessary for efficient spectrum use
Existing licences should be amended to remove
restrictions which are not needed for reasons of
international co-ordination or interference
management, and new licences should be
issued with the minimum number of restrictions
possible
13
Generic licensing
Generic licensing of spectrum should be
adopted for some frequency ranges in the
ECOWAS/UEMOA states
Moving to a generic spectrum licensing regime
would permit more flexibility and benefit users,
and therefore aid economic development
14
7
Spectrum trading
Spectrum trading could be considered in the
ECOWAS/UEMOA states
Trading would likely be limited in the first
instance
Any trading mechanism designed should
minimize transactions costs and allow operators
to change the use of traded spectrum within
international allocations and the national
interference management framework
15
Auctions
Auctions should be considered as a means of
assigning major spectrum licences between
competing users, to achieve an efficient marketdriven outcome
Using auctions enables the assignment process
to be more transparent and objective and is less
susceptible to corruptive influences
16
8
Spectrum pricing
Spectrum pricing should be adopted where
demand exceeds available supply, and where
auctions have not been used and where trading
is not practiced
To calculate the correct price for spectrum,
based on its opportunity cost, can be resource
demanding and challenging
17
Broadband wireless access
The countries in the ECOWAS/UEMOA region
should establish a special committee to establish
a common approach towards BWA radio
systems
The committee should examine spectrum
assignments and allocations, and recommend
policy for promoting BWA service provision
across the region
The committee should report its findings by the
end of 2006
18
9
Concluding remarks
Achieve benefits of coordination
Apply good regulatory principles
Ensure policy is consistent
19
10